Hairs!

I solved the Emer Hair Problem. First I combed neat conditioner through it, dry, ever day for a week. Then I went a further week without washing it at all. Meanwhile, it grew a couple of inches. The end result is that the ends which were matting are (a) no longer at the mattiest part of her head, and (b) now curling, so they aren't as inclined to tangle anyway, they just curl and occasionally get into normal hair-tangles, not matted almost-dreads.

This makes mornings much more pleasant. Her hair still looked tousled shortly after brushing, but only tousled and slightly tangly, not filthy (in spite of being washed less than when not-brushing made it look manky).

Since both children still respond to the suggestion of a haircut with shrieks and running away, this is a Big Deal.

Today went a bit... off-plan

It started off normally enough, with maths worksheets and laundry, but then there was nice weather so I hung the laundry outside, and became aware of the dreadful state of the garden. I think we spent most of two hours out there in the end; Linnea and I gathered the tree-branches off the "lawn" (mud patch) and put them into baskets and Ikea bags so that we can Freegle them as kindling later, and Emer and I dug a big heap of damp soil from a patch against the fence; Rob installed a Green Cone a while ago and the leftover dirt got piled up nearby, which happened to be against the fence (cheap, might rot) and over the spring bulbs which weren't up at the time.

Some of them had produced really long yellow leaves, under 8-12 inches of dirt. I hope they do ok now. When Rob came home he very wisely went straight out to observe what I'd done and admire it, which was good, because all the bending and lifting made me pretty sick; my digestive system is a bit short on space at the mo.

But the garden will be playable in soon; if we get some dryish weather I can rake it all over, and then maybe seed it with some sort of unkillable grass or grass substitute, and Freegle the wood or send it to the Council shredder, and with any luck and perhaps some help I might have a garden worth lying around in when I have a newborn come summer. Sadly, since Linnea was born I haven't been up to the work involved in keeping the garden semi-reasonable, and it's one of those things Rob just doesn't do - his parents did gardening but he has never been interested and doesn't enjoy being in gardens enough to get up the motivation to do it. Sometimes I remember to ask him to do stuff and that helps.

If we were REALLY rich I'd just have the whole thing dug up and fresh rolls of turf put down. All I actually WANT is grass to lie on. Flat would help, because mowing a lumpy postage stamp is hard work.

Peter, Jane, and Pat the tedious dog

Linnea still likes them. But she HATES getting confused enough by new words all together to put a finger under the text.

And will only write with decorative swirls on all the letters, this week.

Peter, Jane and Pat continue charming. And tedious. But sometimes beautifully inflected, which helps.